They’ve registered a ton of parties, but there’s no one worth voting for. That’s a common claim, and it’s not entirely wrong. Here’s a list of 59 registered parties. Try finding one there that you could actually vote for. I mean really vote for—without wincing first and saying, "well, okay, since there’s nothing better". Out of that whole list, there’s probably only one party you can say is not directly run by Kremlin crooks: RPR-PARNAS. But that party, so to speak, comes with history. An acquired taste. The rest, unfortunately, are either managed from above (though of course the Communist Party and Yabloko still have a fairly high degree of independence), or they’re simply fake front parties and puppets created and funded by the presidential administration—things like the "Alliance of Greens – People’s Party" or the "Democratic Party." Only complete idiots could vote for the second type (the fakes and puppets): if you genuinely like Putin, then just vote for United Russia. The list of organizing committees for parties now being formed looks more encouraging: there are independent projects there, being put together by decent people—"The December 5 Party," the "National Democratic Party," and a couple of others. Of course, people need to take part in parties. I’d even say we’re going to have to. Read this fairly interesting interview with Gudkov from the Levada Center (an independent Russian polling organization): -What is public trust in the authorities based on? -Overall, on three things. First, alienation from politics. Second, the aggressively promoted idea that the current system has no alternative. Third, total monopoly over the main channel. People are left with no material for analysis or interpretation, and two-thirds of the country mainly live off television channels. That’s exactly right. People are turning away from politics. They don’t want to take part in anything. They don’t believe in parties. And that’s when these disgusting United Russia apparatchiks crawl out of their filthy holes and usurp power. And who are "the people"? We are. Until 500,000 decent people start engaging in politics actively, things will remain difficult. That’s what I’m getting at: a decent party is being created—one you won’t be ashamed to vote for. It’s called the "People’s Alliance".
This is the right place for anyone to enter practical politics and find like-minded people—not to carve up party or state money, but for the future of Russia and the future of our children.
Regional branches of the "People’s Alliance" have already been established in 28 federal subjects (regions).
Under the law, a party needs at least 43 branches to be officially registered, and that number—or rather, an even larger one—will be reached before the end of March.
You can read more about the party-building process here: http://peoplesalliance.ru/press/news/
Meetings have already been scheduled before the end of March in the following regions:
Arkhangelsk Region, Bashkortostan, Bryansk Region, Kaluga Region, Karelia, Komi, Kostroma Region, Krasnodar Territory, Leningrad Region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Orenburg Region, Ryazan Region, Saratov Region, Khabarovsk Territory, Chelyabinsk Region, Chuvashia, Tuva, Tomsk Region, Khakassia, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
So if you live in one of these regions, you still have a chance to take part in the founding meetings of the regional
branches of the "People’s Alliance," put yourself forward for their governing bodies, and so on.
To be there, so to speak, at the beginning.
Later on, someday, you’ll be writing on a form: "member of the RSDLP since 1903" (the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, a tongue-in-cheek historical reference).
The "People’s Alliance" really is being built from the ground up, by genuinely sincere people and enthusiasts, so there are no "instructions from Moscow" here. Everyone has a say in decision-making. Anyone can be elected to whatever position they want, if they have support.
Fill out the party membership forms here: http://peoplesalliance.ru/support/member/, then print out your membership application and get in touch with the regional coordinators (their contact details are listed here: http://peoplesalliance.ru/regions/), and if for some reason you can’t reach them, write directly to the Central Executive Committee at party@peoplesalliance.ru.
In some regions, meetings have not yet been scheduled; they will most likely take place in April: Adygea, Amur Region, Belgorod Region, Buryatia, Dagestan, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Zabaykalsky Territory, Ivanovo Region, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kaliningrad Region, Kalmykia, Kamchatka Territory, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kurgan Region, Kursk Region, Magadan Region, Mari El, Murmansk Region, Pskov Region, Altai Republic, Sakhalin Region, North Ossetia, Smolensk Region, Stavropol Territory, Tambov Region, Tyumen Region, Ulyanovsk Region, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Chukotka, Yakutia (Sakha), Yaroslavl Region.
Here, everything really is in your hands.
There is, of course, an alternative.
You can join nothing. Stay out of politics entirely.
That United Russia thug in the Mercedes, from this recent FAR video, would be very pleased with that decision:
http://youtu.be/SEvxgrvd2rU He doesn’t need anything else: the main thing is that people unhappy with his behavior stay out of politics. Join the "People’s Alliance" if, after watching this video, you feel like personally dragging that nomenklatura mug out of the car and teaching him how people behave in a state governed by the rule of law. The party’s VKontakte group: http://vk.com/peoplesalliance The party’s Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/peoplesalliance.ru/ The party’s Twitter group: https://twitter.com/alliance_party